Underneath the Mistletoe
by WING Higley
Summary: Tenchi and Kiyone try to fight loneliness during the holidays.


-1Editor's Comments: This is a repost of a story I wrote for the Tenchi Fanfiction Archive

back in 1999 with some very minor changes and corrections made. I honestly thought I'd

already posted this to , but I guess I didn't. Enjoy:

Underneath The Mistletoe

A Tenchi Christmas Fic

by

W*ING Higley

Another year, another Christmas. Tenchi smiled as he gently slid Ryoko's head out of the way so he could get at the empty bottles behind it. This was baby

Mayuka's first actual Christmas, ignoring the "Christmas in July" party they had held earlier that year.

What a six months it had been, Tenchi thought. After the defeat of Yuzuha, things had been relatively quiet until that September, when Ayeka and Sasami were

officially "recalled" by Azusa. Their departure had been tearful, and Tenchi missed them greatly. Their loss was doubled when Mihoshi had been transferred

from the Alpha Quadrant to the other side of the galaxy. Oddly enough, Kiyone had opted to stay on Earth. This had surprised the entire household. Despite all the trouble Mihoshi got Kiyone into, they were still best friends.

"Come on, you. Time for bed." Tenchi hefted Ryoko over his shoulder and began climbing up a ladder that had been placed next to Ryoko's usual sleeping place

among the first floor ceiling beams. After depositing the drunken space pirate onto her ceiling beam, Tenchi folded the ladder back up and carried it

out to the tool shed. As he walked back to the house, he recalled a conversation he had had with his grandfather a day earlier:

'She loves you, you know.'

'Yes, I'm well aware of that.'

'Yet, you continue to rebuke her advances. Why?'

'Because....I....I'd only be hurting her otherwise.'

'Do you love her?'

'Yes.........but as a sister.'

'She loves you much more than as a brother, I hate to

tell you.'

'I think that's fairly obvious, Grandpa. But it's also obvious

that we're not exactly made for each other.'

'How do you mean?'

'She's so outgoing, so carefree.'

'And you've always been Mr. Responsibility.'

'Exactly. I mean, I just can't imagine any type of stable household we would have as husband and wife.'

'So, you love Ayeka then?'

'No.'

'You love Washu?!!?'

'No Gramps, don't be silly.'

'Well, who else is there?'

'...........'

'One day, Tenchi, you will learn that love can come from

the most unlikeliest of places.'

*****

Reentering the house, Tenchi snapped from his reverie as he heard someone singing softly. He trudged up the stairs to see Kiyone gently rocking Mayuka in her

arms, singing in a language that Tenchi didn't recognize. His Babel fish had flopped out of his ear and into the drain while showering that morning, and Washu

said it would take at least a day to generate a new one. Tenchi leaned against the doorway and smiled as he watched Kiyone finish her song before putting Mayuka to

bed.

He applauded softly as she turned around.

"Oh, Tenchi. I didn't hear you there." Was Kiyone blushing?

"Sorry, didn't want to disturb you. Very nice, by the way."

"Thank you." Kiyone's Universal Translator at least worked, Tenchi noted.

Tenchi followed as Kiyone headed down the stairs. "That was certainly a nice party we had earlier," she said.

"Yeah, though it was odd without Ayeka and Sasami and here. Mihoshi too"

"Mm-hmm." They stepped outside, onto the porch. There was an awkward silence as the two stood and watched the lakefront.

"Um, Kiyone..."

She turned, and not for the first time did Tenchi notice how beautiful she looked in the moonlight. "Yes?"

"Uh...I hate to ask, but while we're on the subject, how come you didn't go with Mihoshi when she transferred?"

Kiyone turned away. There was another long, awkward silence. Finally, the Galaxy Police Officer spoke, but this time while staring at her feet.

"You know, it's funny you should ask that now. My family used to celebrate Startica every year, we'd have huge parties with the entire clan getting

together at my grandfather's place. I think some of my happiest memories were from those parties."

A tear rolled down her cheek. "But then, when I was 12, my parents were killed in a hover-car wreck."

"Oh Kiyone...I..."

She ignored him, "and then my grandpa passed away about six months later. The family

drifted apart after that, and I shuttled around from relative to relative until I was 18, when I enrolled at the Academy. It was their that I became so determined, dedicated to my career. It was like I was using my role as a Galaxy Police officer to replace my family. It didn't really work, I guess."

She was openly crying now, and, not knowing what else to do, Tenchi awkwardly embraced her and held her as the tears flowed. "And then I came here, and well....

I think, I think the main reason I decided to stay was because you guys were the closest thing to a real family I've had in almost 10 years."

She leaned against him and sobbed, without really thinking about it, Tenchi put his arms around her waist.

"Oh God, Kiyone, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have asked. I....."

"No Tenchi, it's okay. I'm kinda glad you asked. All these years I've been keeping these things bottled up. I....I needed this, really."

She looked up and smiled sheepishly. She really was quite beautiful, Tenchi realized. He reached up a hand and wiped away a tear.

'One day, Tenchi, you will learn that love can come from the most unlikeliest of places.'

Tenchi gasped as his Grandfather's words returned, unbidden.

"Um, Tenchi? You can let go now." Tenchi realized that he was still holding her. He also realized that she was blushing deeply because of it.

"I'm sor-." he looked up as something caught his eye, "huh?"

Kiyone looked to see Tenchi staring straight up. There, hanging in mid-air with nothing to support it at all, was a piece of mistletoe.

She chuckled softly. "Washu's doing, probably."

Tenchi nodded. He looked back to Kiyone and smiled.

"Merry Christmas, Kiyone."

She returned the smile, "Merry Christmas, Tenchi....chan" she added after a moment's hesitation.

Tenchi cupped his hand to her cheek, and very slowly leaned in and kissed her. She returned the kiss. Awkward at first, the two relaxed once they realized

that no one would intrude. Tenchi slowly dipped her back, and Kiyone responded by wrapping her arms around his neck.

After what seemed an eternity, they both broke away, reluctantly. Neither said a word as Tenchi put his arm more firmly around her, and Kiyone leaned her head against his

shoulder, both watching the lakefront again.

"What happens from here?" she finally asked.

Not turning away from where he was looking, Tenchi said, "I don't know. What I do know is that somehow," he squeezed her shoulder, "this feels right."

Kiyone nodded and smiled again. Whatever it was that was happening between them, it was right.

Above them, it began to snow.

*****

Author's Comments: Very thin plot here, and some OOC,

but those are staples of most Tenchi/Kiyone pairings.

This is both a Christmas fic, and a belated answer to

a one-hour challenge. Have a Merry Christmas, Happy

Hanukkah, Kwanza, Midwinter or Satanic Mass everyone!

All characters trademark and copyright 1997 Pioneer

LTD and AIC.


End file.
